Romney: US needs to take leadership role on Syria

"I believe we want to make sure that we have the relationships of friendship with the people that take his place such that in the years to come we see Syria as a friend and Syria as a responsible party in the Middle East," Romney said, noting the US should encourage a more unified opposition and be sure they have arms to fight the regime of Bashar al-Assad. "This is a critical opportunity for America."
Obama countered that the United States was indeed playing a leadership role by organizing the international community and imposing sanctions. He noted the US needed to be sure that any help went to groups that would stay allied with the US in the future.
"I am confident that (Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's) days are numbered. But what we can't do is to simply suggest that, as Governor Romney at times has suggested, that giving heavy weapons, for example, to the Syrian opposition is a simple proposition that would lead us to be safer over the long term," Obama said.//DPA